UAW Joins in National Day of Prayer and Remembrance

    DETROIT, Sept. 14 In response to President Bush's
declaration of a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, UAW President Stephen
P. Yokich issued this statement on behalf of the UAW International Executive
Board and the 1.3 million active and retired members of the United Auto
Workers:

    We are shocked and outraged by the terrorist attacks that stole the lives
of thousands of our fellow citizens and injured thousands more, many of them
our union sisters and brothers.  Our hearts and prayers are with them and
their families -- and with the hundreds of firefighters, police, rescue
workers, nurses and doctors, clergy, and volunteers in New York City and
Washington, D.C. who are working around the clock to save lives and comfort
the suffering.
    The acts of terror that unfolded on the morning of September 11 are seared
into our collective memory; we will never forget the senseless loss of life
and the untold pain and suffering inflicted upon the American people by a
small group of fanatics driven by hate and intolerance.
    Yet we must not -- and we will not let the terrorists' evil acts
overshadow the countless acts of courage, decency, compassion, and generosity
by the crews and passengers on the hijacked planes, by rescue workers at the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, by medical personnel at hospitals and
emergency medical facilities in New York and Washington, and by blood donors
and other volunteers all across America.
    If those responsible for the terrorist attacks think that they can shatter
our solidarity, divide us by our religion, race or ethnicity, or weaken our
shared commitment to freedom and democracy, they are badly mistaken.  Ours is
a remarkably diverse nation, yet for all our differences we are all Americans
-- and we stand united.
    The UAW joins with people of goodwill throughout the world in condemning
all acts of terrorism, and we call upon all Americans to stand firm against
any efforts to scapegoat or discriminate against the millions of our fellow
citizens who are Arab-Americans or practice the Islamic faith.
    The UAW offers our full support to President Bush and our national leaders
as they work together to bring those responsible for the terrorist attacks on
America to justice.

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